It was definitely her. Her arms and legs were covered with cuts and bruises and she sounded as if she were having a hard time breathing. Her clothes were torn in several places and she looked as if she had been through hell. She looked exactly as she had in my dreams and the visions. The only thing different about her at all was the blue crescent moon outline that now sat in the middle of her forehead. I watched her face intently. Though her eyes still held a flicker of fear her face was hard and emotionless. She looked up facing us as we moved through the room, her eyes watching us curiously and almost suspiciously. She didn't trust us.

"Marla, this is Neferet and Zoey," Natasha said motioning to us. "They are the other two High Priestesses at this school," she said nodding at me and Neferet. "Neferet is going to look after you for a moment while I see about getting you a change of clothes."

Marla nodded and then turned her attention back to us.

"Hello, Marla," Neferet said reaching out her hand. Marla lifted her hand bravely, her eyebrows pulling together slightly when Neferet grasped her forearm rather than her hand. She seemed confused, but not bothered and I remembered how even though I had thought it was strange my first time it had also felt right. "Do you remember what happened to you?" Neferet asked gently titling Marla's head back and forth examining the cuts and bruises that framed her eyes. It was hard to tell what were bruises, and what were simply black circles from lack of sleep and proper nutrition. I knew that had this girl waited a day longer her body would have begun rejecting the change. It was absolutely vital that fledglings stay healthy which is why we were made to exercise and why chocolate was not served in the cafeteria.

"The bridge collapsed," Marla said her voice soft but firm. "I was walking in the woods and the old bridge collapsed from underneath me," she said simply. My eyes narrowed. I knew for a fact that she hadn't just been walking through the woods. I could still picture the dark trees in the thick forest; I could still feel her fear as the blood pumped harder through her veins while she ran. I remembered hearing the voices behind her and her thoughts on how it would be better for her to die than to let them catch her. It had been no leisurely walk that was for certain.

Neferet seemed to come to the same conclusion, "what were you doing in the woods?" She asked her face becoming slightly harder and I knew she was trying to examine Marla's thoughts. Her green eyes bored into Marla's and I smirked as Marla swallowed reflexively.

"Trying to come here," Marla said simply though she looked a little unnerved at Neferet's intense expression. I couldn't blame her. I still became unnerved when Neferet used that look on me.

"Hmm," was all Neferet said. She brushed back some of Marla's hair and then placed a hand on either side of her face. I watched as the bruises and cuts began to fade from Marla's now much paler skin. Her skin had held a nice olive tone only days before and I was still amazed at how much being Marked could change your looks. I felt like I was looking at a stranger for weeks after I was Marked. I wondered what she would think the first time she saw herself in the mirror.

"How are you doing that?" Marla asked looking alarmed as Neferet's healing abilities spread over and through her body. She lifted her arm examining the places where the cuts had been. Her skin was now perfectly smooth as if she had never been injured in the first place.

"One of my gifts from the Goddess is healing," Neferet smiled at her releasing her face and taking a step back. "Your cuts were minor, but you have a broken rib," Neferet said once again locking eyes with Marla. I'm going to try and heal it, but you should still use the weekend to relax. She placed a hand on Marla's side pressing down as gently as possible on the injured area. Marla flinched holding her breath and shutting her eyes. Still no sound escaped her lips as Neferet probed her rib cage. I watched as Neferet shut her eyes then and began whispering softly. I heard Marla let out a sigh and knew that her rib was now back in its proper location.

"You said it was your gift from the goddess," Marla said opening her eyes and looking at Neferet curiously, "You mean Nyx, right?" She asked.

"Yes, I mean Nyx," Neferet said giving her a small smile. "Nyx is who we worship here at the House of Night. She is the personification of night itself and those she Marks," Neferet said gesturing to Marla's forehead, "are her children. Our society is run by High Priestesses, part of the way we identify those High Priestesses is by the special gifts Nyx chooses to bestow on them."

"So if you have a gift that means you're supposed to be a High Priestess?" Marla asked and I thought I saw something flash in her eyes.

Neferet regarded her carefully, "not necessarily. Several members of this school's council have an affinity of some sort, as do many of our fledglings." Neferet continued thoughtfully, "I know it's confusing, but you'll catch on quickly enough and you will have plenty of people to help you along."

Natasha walked back into the room then carrying a change of clothes and a pair tennis shoes. "This will have to do until we are able to retrieve your stuff from your home," Natasha said handing her the clothes.

"I don't think I'll be able to get my stuff," Marla said shaking her head. "My parents weren't exactly ok with my being Marked or with my coming here."

I felt my stomach turn and knew there was more to that story as well.

"They cannot keep your stuff from you," Natasha told her encouragingly. "If you wish we can arrange for someone else to pick up your things."

Marla nodded, but said nothing else.

"Very well," Natasha said firmly. "We will arrange for one of our Warriors to pick up your things early tomorrow morning. She looked at Neferet and they exchanged a troubled expression very quickly as Marla examined the clothes Natasha had brought. Natasha turned back to Marla studying her for a long minute. "We need to see about getting you settled in. Do you mind resting here a moment? Or would you rather have someone stay with you?" Natasha asked.

"I'll be fine," Marla said casually.

Natasha nodded. "We'll just be a minute," she said touching Marla's arm reassuringly and then motioning for us to follow her into the next room.

"Darius found her about a quarter mile from the school nearly unconscious," Natasha said as soon as the door shut behind us. "He and Stark were making their rounds when he stumbled across her. She was weak with hunger and exhaustion. It appears as though she could've been trying to make her way here, but that doesn't explain all the injuries she obtained in the process."

"Did she tell you anything before we arrived?" Neferet asked.

"Just her name, which is Marla Kennedy, but aside from that I couldn't get much else out of her," Natasha admitted frowning.

"That's because she's hiding something," I said softly watching one of the oil lights flicker bouncing a dim light off the walls and ceiling. I kept seeing the images over and over again in my mind. And like yesterday I still couldn't fit the pieces together. There were just so many things that didn't make sense. What was she running from? And what about the creature or the wolf that seemed to be surrounding her. I tried to picture it clearly in my mind. It's eyes had seemed a vibrant green, its fur was a shiny black and gray. But the thing that confused me the most was how when it ran strips of silver seemed to fly around it and her.

"Zoey?" Neferet questioned.

"She's hiding something," I repeated turning to face her. "That whole story about the bridge collapsing was only a small piece of what was going on. And I'm not sure she was really on her way here."

Neferet nodded, "I sensed that as well."

"Were you able to get a read on her?" Natasha asked Neferet.

"She's afraid and her mind kept jumping around, it was hard to pick up on a clear thought," Neferet said beginning to pace back and forth. "There is definitely more to this story," she said sighing.

"Do you think it's the situation with the parents?" Natasha asked.

"No," I said firmly shaking my head, "if it was just the parents being upset about her being Marked she wouldn't have been that afraid or felt the need to lie to us. She was scared, really scared!"

Neferet looked at me sternly, "Zoey, is there something you want to tell us?"

I looked at her and Natasha and swallowed. I could tell Neferet knew I had been keeping something from her as she gazed at me from behind vibrant green eyes of her own. I sighed not sure where to begin, "I've been having dreams about her," I decided to start with.

"You saw her coming?" Natasha asked.

"No I just had a few dreams about her," I said shaking my head.

Natasha laughed, "You saw her coming, Zoey. That's how it works. Sometimes we see the new fledglings in dreams, other times we get a flash of their life throughout our day."

I stood there staring at her my mouth hanging open, "but she didn't show me Marla being Marked. I had no clue that was going to happen," I argued.

"What did the dreams entail?" She asked.

I thought back over the dreams and frowned. I didn't know how much to tell them. "I saw a lot of details of her life. She is very musically talented," I said replaying the dreams in my mind. "She can sing and play guitar. She is also athletic; she plays soccer a couple times a week."

Natasha nodded, "Zoey, how do you think it is we know what classes to place a fledgling in before they even arrive?" She asked taking a step towards me. "You're growing and developing as a High Priestess, and all High Priestesses are at least somewhat intuitive."

I sighed rubbing my forehead. I was getting a splitting headache; this was all just too much to take in right now. "Are we going to assign her a mentor?" I asked knowing that we needed to make some decisions about where Marla would be staying and who would be looking after her.

"Yes," Neferet said smoothly, "you."

"What?!" I blurted out my head shooting up to look at her. "I can't be her mentor," I said feeling panicked. "I haven't even made the change yet!"

"We both know that it is only a matter of time before you do," Neferet said meeting my eyes, "and for some reason Nyx is prompting that you are the right one for Marla. You are to be her mentor. You are the one Nyx made aware of her coming and I think it is you who is supposed to look after her."

I shook my head in disbelief. How was I going to look after her? Half the time I couldn't even keep my own life together and I was supposed to help run hers?

"Just consider it part of your priestess in training program," Neferet said giving me a slight smirk and I scowled. She approached be then putting her finger under my chin and tilting my face so that she had my full attention, "I know you can handle this and you know I am always available if you need me."

I nodded and then looked back at the thick door. I knew Marla had been scared in the dreams and being in a new place surrounded by people she didn't know couldn't be easy for her. "Alright," I finally agreed reluctantly feeling completely overwhelmed.

"It's never easy being a mentor, Zoey. It is your responsibility to care for and protect her and help make the transition easier for her, anyway you can," Neferet said gently looking into my eyes and once again I could clearly see the remorse she felt for what had transpired between us. "And, right now she needs you," Neferet added firmly.

"Just follow your instincts, Zoey," Natasha added nodding in encouragement. "Nyx will show you what you are supposed to do. Trust in her and she will lead you."

I nodded and then pushed through the oak doors reentering the room.

Marla watched me, her eyes never leaving my face as I approached her. I looked her over; she had already changed her clothes and was looking loads better than she had only moments before. That was a good sign. The clothes were a little big for her, but worked well enough. She was wearing a pair of blue jeans, a purple tank top and a white zip-up hoodie, all of which were in better shape than the rags she had been wearing before.

"Hi, Marla," I said calmly as I reached the bed she was sitting upon. She continued looking at me, but didn't say anything. "I know Natasha introduced me earlier, but I'm Zoey Redbird, welcome to the House of Night," I said extending my arm. Marla looked at my out stretched hand and then clasped my forearm as Neferet had hers earlier.

"How are you feeling?" I asked looking her over, she seemed calmer, but I could clearly see apprehension hidden in her eyes.

"Better," she whispered stretching out slightly and moving her muscles. "My body doesn't hurt as much, but I'm a little nervous," she finally admitted. "I don't know the first thing about being a vampyre, or a fledgling," she said honestly. It was the first honest thing I had heard from her yet.

I smiled knowingly, "no one does at first. But it will get easier here. You will have a mentor to help you out whenever you need it and your roommate is always great at helping you to adjust. I should know, I had the greatest roommate, and she's still my bff."

"A mentor?" she asked raising an eyebrow. I watched as her eyes tried to measure me up and decide whether or not to trust me. It almost seemed as if she had no fear of Vamps, but I knew that behind that façade she was completely terrified. I could still feel it in the air around us and I was determined to try and make her feel more at ease. That was the only way we were going to find out anything. Neferet had been right. For some reason Nyx had chosen me to see this girl before she arrived. Whatever had been going on in those dreams as well as in the visions wasn't over. Marla's fear clearly told me that.

"Each new fledgling is paired with an adult vampyre," I said answering her question. "Although in your case it will be slightly different as your being paired with me," I explained quickly.

I watched as a confused expression crossed her face, "you're my mentor?"

"Yep," I said giving her a smile. "It's my job to see that you get settled in and that you have everything you need. I will also be there to help you find your path over the next four years."

"Don't we just have to try and survive the change?" She questioned.

I stood silent a moment thinking about how best to answer her question. "I'm not going to lie to you Marla, not all fledglings make the change, and you never know when your body may decide to reject it. We try to keep you as healthy as possible because that seems to help, but it is still no guarantee. So yes, part of being at the House of Night is too help you make it through and hope that you survive, but there is more to it than that. Being Marked is like getting a new start. You are a whole new person now and if you wanted you could even change your name." I let out a slow breath before I continued, "Nyx blesses all of her children with some sort of gift, though it may take them awhile to find it. I'm guessing that you will flourish in the musical arts department, and you may discover that you now have musical abilities that you didn't have before," I said watching her eyes widen in surprise as I mentioned what Nyx had shown me about her. I gave her a small smile, "my point is that Nyx's gifts are to help each fledgling find their destiny."

"What gifts did she give you?" She asked curiously though I had a feeling it had more to do with the fact that she didn't like me knowing more about her than she knew about me.

"Nyx has blessed me with an affinity for the five elements," I said watching her face.

"Zoey Redbird," she whispered my name her eyebrows pulling together again in thought. "I've heard of you. Aren't you like some super fledgling or something?" She asked examining my Marks.

I grimaced, "I'm not sure if I would say that, but yes, I have been incredibly gifted by Nyx." I heard her stomach growl and sighed, "Come on, let's get you something to eat."